Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa on Friday both made the junior featherweight limit for their fight Saturday in Carson, Calif.
Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa are ready to roll for their junior featherweight title fight Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Showtime).
Nery, who will be defending his WBC title, weighed in on Friday at the limit of 122.0 pounds. Figueroa came in at 121.2.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) defeated Aaron Alameda by a unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC 122-pound title this past Sept. 26, his first fight as a full-fledged junior featherweight. That ended the Mexican’s knockout streak at 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nxw0TYYpvM
Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) bounced back from a split draw against an overweight Julio Ceja in November 2019 to stop Damien Vazquez in 10 rounds on the same card Nery defeated Alameda.
The resident of Weslaco, Texas, will be fighting for his first major world title.
In two other featured fights, Xavier Martinez and Juan Carlos Burgos weighed 131.6 and 131.8, respectively, for their junior lightweight bout. And Daniel Roman weighed 122 for his junior featherweight bout against Ricardo Espinoza, who came in at 121.6.
Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa on Friday both made the junior featherweight limit for their fight Saturday in Carson, Calif.
Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa are ready to roll for their junior featherweight title fight Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Showtime).
Nery, who will be defending his WBC title, weighed in on Friday at the limit of 122.0 pounds. Figueroa came in at 121.2.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) defeated Aaron Alameda by a unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC 122-pound title this past Sept. 26, his first fight as a full-fledged junior featherweight. That ended the Mexican’s knockout streak at 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nxw0TYYpvM
Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) bounced back from a split draw against an overweight Julio Ceja in November 2019 to stop Damien Vazquez in 10 rounds on the same card Nery defeated Alameda.
The resident of Weslaco, Texas, will be fighting for his first major world title.
In two other featured fights, Xavier Martinez and Juan Carlos Burgos weighed 131.6 and 131.8, respectively, for their junior lightweight bout. And Daniel Roman weighed 122 for his junior featherweight bout against Ricardo Espinoza, who came in at 121.6.
Brandon Figueroa says he’s too big, too strong for 122-pound titleholder Luis Nery, his opponent on Saturday.
Brandon Figueroa believes Luis Nery is making a mistake by fighting him on his turf Saturday on Showtime.
No, not the junior featherweight contender’s geographical turf. They’re meeting on neutral ground in Carson, Calif. We’re talking about his divisional territory. Figueroa is a natural 122-pounder, Nery maybe not.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) outpointed Aaron Alameda to win the WBC junior featherweight title in September but wasn’t as dominating as he had been at 118. The Mexican will be making his first defense.
“Nery is going to learn a lot about me on Saturday night,” Figueroa said on a Zoom call with reporters. “My size will definitely help me. I feel like he hasn’t fought a guy this big, this strong, and he’s going to find out on Saturday night.
“I know Luis Nery comes to fight,” he added later. “He’s a strong fighter at the 118-pound division but the 122-pound division is a different story.”
Brandon Figueroa is confident he’ll defeat Luis Nery on Saturday. Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery, whose knockout streak ended at 11 in the Alameda fight, dismisses any talk about size or punching power at his new weight. He blamed his so-so performance on poor training and Alameda’s technical style.
He said on the Zoom call that he plans to attack Figueroa like the Nery of old. That’s fine with the challenger, who relies on conditioning, toughness and high-volume punching to win fights. That formula has been effective thus far but he hasn’t faced anyone of Nery’s caliber.
Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) is about a 2½-1 underdog.
“I’ve trained tremendously for this fight,” said Figueroa, who is coming off a 10th-round knockout of Damien Vazquez on the same card Nery won his belt. “I have the best conditioning in the 122-pound division. My volume output speaks for itself and I feel like a lot of people underestimate me.
“After Saturday night, they won’t. Once the bell rings, it’s go-time and I come to fight. I come one hundred percent and I’m coming to take that belt home.”
The winner on Saturday is expected to face undefeated WBO champion Stephen Fulton in a title-unification bout in September.
Of course, Figueroa won’t look past Nery. He understands the challenge he’ll face at Dignity Health Sports Park. At the same time, he acknowledged that he has had an eye on the gifted Fulton.
“If it goes my way, Stephen Fulton is next and that’s a fight that I’ve been wanting for a long time,” Figueroa said. “It’s time to unify. If that’s not what you come to boxing for, then what are you in boxing for?
“… I just can’t wait for these big fights and these big names.”
Brandon Figueroa says he’s too big, too strong for 122-pound titleholder Luis Nery, his opponent on Saturday.
Brandon Figueroa believes Luis Nery is making a mistake by fighting him on his turf Saturday on Showtime.
No, not the junior featherweight contender’s geographical turf. They’re meeting on neutral ground in Carson, Calif. We’re talking about his divisional territory. Figueroa is a natural 122-pounder, Nery maybe not.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) outpointed Aaron Alameda to win the WBC junior featherweight title in September but wasn’t as dominating as he had been at 118. The Mexican will be making his first defense.
“Nery is going to learn a lot about me on Saturday night,” Figueroa said on a Zoom call with reporters. “My size will definitely help me. I feel like he hasn’t fought a guy this big, this strong, and he’s going to find out on Saturday night.
“I know Luis Nery comes to fight,” he added later. “He’s a strong fighter at the 118-pound division but the 122-pound division is a different story.”
Brandon Figueroa is confident he’ll defeat Luis Nery on Saturday. Esther Lin / Showtime
Nery, whose knockout streak ended at 11 in the Alameda fight, dismisses any talk about size or punching power at his new weight. He blamed his so-so performance on poor training and Alameda’s technical style.
He said on the Zoom call that he plans to attack Figueroa like the Nery of old. That’s fine with the challenger, who relies on conditioning, toughness and high-volume punching to win fights. That formula has been effective thus far but he hasn’t faced anyone of Nery’s caliber.
Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs) is about a 2½-1 underdog.
“I’ve trained tremendously for this fight,” said Figueroa, who is coming off a 10th-round knockout of Damien Vazquez on the same card Nery won his belt. “I have the best conditioning in the 122-pound division. My volume output speaks for itself and I feel like a lot of people underestimate me.
“After Saturday night, they won’t. Once the bell rings, it’s go-time and I come to fight. I come one hundred percent and I’m coming to take that belt home.”
The winner on Saturday is expected to face undefeated WBO champion Stephen Fulton in a title-unification bout in September.
Of course, Figueroa won’t look past Nery. He understands the challenge he’ll face at Dignity Health Sports Park. At the same time, he acknowledged that he has had an eye on the gifted Fulton.
“If it goes my way, Stephen Fulton is next and that’s a fight that I’ve been wanting for a long time,” Figueroa said. “It’s time to unify. If that’s not what you come to boxing for, then what are you in boxing for?
“… I just can’t wait for these big fights and these big names.”
Jermall and Jermell Charlo both took significant steps forward in their careers on Saturday night.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jermall Charlo celebrates Part II of a big night with brother Jermell. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The Charlo twins had questions to answer on Saturday night.
Jermall Charlo hadn’t faced a significant test in three-plus years as a middleweight. How would he do against an opponent, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who was deemed at least roughly his equal? Is he as good at 160 pounds as he was at 154?
Jermell Charlo was up against a foe, Jeison Rosario, who was believed to be as strong as he is and could punch as hard. Could he outslug the rugged Dominican?
And, in a more general sense, this was the brothers’ first foray on pay-per-view. How would they handle that kind of spotlight?
Well, if you’re a fan of the Charlos, you couldn’t have been much more pleased with the answers they provided at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Jermall (31-0, 22 KOs) fought with the poise of a seasoned, confident champion, controlling the fight with his jab and withstanding the inevitable pressure applied by Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs) to win a wide decision.
The scores were 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112, which means he defeated “The Technician” more convincingly than 160-pound stalwarts Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin did. One can’t draw a concrete conclusion from that comparison but it sure makes Charlo look good.
One could argue that he’s now the top middleweight in the world, assuming Canelo Alvarez is finished with the division. That’s special.
Jermell (34-1, 18 KOs) destroyed Rosario, who was coming off his spectacular knockout of Julian Williams. Charlo put Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs) down in the first and sixth rounds and then ended the fight with a jab to the gut in the eighth that gave the younger of the twins all four junior middleweight belts. Of course, that means he’s the top man at 154.
The Charlos have been highly respected for some time. However, on Saturday, they took a significant step in their careers. They demonstrated that they’re not only the best in their respective divisions, they’re among the best of any weight.
***
BAD
Jermall Charlo (right) gave an excellent performance but never hurt Derevyanchenko. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
One would be hard-pressed to find fault in the Charlos’ performances. Let’s just say they were imperfect, as almost every performance is.
Jermall’s showing against Derevyanchenko was methodical and thorough, which any trainer would find perfectly acceptable, especially against an opponent as skillful and durable as Derevyanchenko. The man has gone 36 competitive rounds with Jacobs, Triple-G and now Charlo, for God’s sake.
And Charlo was active. He threw 627 punches, according to ShoStats. That’s 52 punches per round, which is solid for a middleweight.
That said, I wouldn’t use the word “spectacular” to describe his performance. I was waiting for something to take it to the next level – a huge shot, a knockdown, something that would’ve punctuated his fine night. It never happened.
Again, Charlo deserved the “A” he gave himself after the fight. He was just a big punch or two away from an “A+”.
Jermell scored three knockdowns and stopped a hot rival in dramatic fashion. That’s also an “A” in my book. I believe he has room for improvement, though.
The undisputed 154-pound champ has been outboxed in the past. For example, he was well behind on the cards against John Jackson when he stopped him in the eighth round. And, more recently, he lost a decision to Tony Harrison.
Charlo’s problem – if that’s what it is – might be more about activity than ability. He tends to be passive at times. He might argue that he’s setting up big shots – and he probably is – but he could be losing rounds in the process.
He threw only 242 punches against Rosario, less than 35 per round. Rosario threw around 50 per round, which is one reason he was still in the fight after seven rounds even though he’d been knocked down twice.
Judge Steve Weisfeld had it 66-65 for Charlo, or four rounds to three for Rosario. The other two scored it 67-64 for Charlo, four rounds to three for him.
The point is that Charlo might want to be a busier fighter going forward because he’s not going to knock out or even knock down everyone.
***
WORSE
Luis Nery (right) wasn’t the terrifying little banger against Aaron Alameda that he had been in recent fights. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The biggest surprise on the pay-per-view card might’ve been the performance of Luis Nery.
The Mexican, who has been working with trainer Eddy Reynoso, entered his fight with relative unknown Aaron Alameda with the reputation and track record of a monstrous puncher. On paper, this matchup seemed to be a brutal knockout waiting to happen.
But it didn’t.
Alameda (25-1, 13 KOs) deserves some credit for that. Nery’s countryman obviously has a solid skillset and he’s durable, which served him on Saturday. He would be a credible opponent for any 122-pounder.
Another problem for Nery might’ve been weight. He had stopped other 122-pounders in recent years but he didn’t seem to have unusual power against Alameda. Maybe he will have lost some of his pop at junior featherweight.
To his credit, Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) relied on his boxing skills to win the fight and a major title in a second division by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. I thought the first score was far too wide but Nery deserved the nod.
At the same time, the perception of Nery will have changed significantly from one fight to the next. He was seen by some as the type of fighter who could climb onto pound-for-pound lists one day. He didn’t look the part on Saturday.
To be fair, it was only one fight. And he won, which is the objective. Maybe it was an off night. I thought of Jose Ramirez’s so-so performance against Viktor Postol as I watched Nery on Saturday, and I certainly haven’t written off Ramirez.
We’ll probably get a better handle on where Nery stands in his next fight.
Jermall and Jermell Charlo both took significant steps forward in their careers on Saturday night.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jermall Charlo celebrates Part II of a big night with brother Jermell. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The Charlo twins had questions to answer on Saturday night.
Jermall Charlo hadn’t faced a significant test in three-plus years as a middleweight. How would he do against an opponent, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who was deemed at least roughly his equal? Is he as good at 160 pounds as he was at 154?
Jermell Charlo was up against a foe, Jeison Rosario, who was believed to be as strong as he is and could punch as hard. Could he outslug the rugged Dominican?
And, in a more general sense, this was the brothers’ first foray on pay-per-view. How would they handle that kind of spotlight?
Well, if you’re a fan of the Charlos, you couldn’t have been much more pleased with the answers they provided at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Jermall (31-0, 22 KOs) fought with the poise of a seasoned, confident champion, controlling the fight with his jab and withstanding the inevitable pressure applied by Derevyanchenko (13-3, 10 KOs) to win a wide decision.
The scores were 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112, which means he defeated “The Technician” more convincingly than 160-pound stalwarts Daniel Jacobs and Gennadiy Golovkin did. One can’t draw a concrete conclusion from that comparison but it sure makes Charlo look good.
One could argue that he’s now the top middleweight in the world, assuming Canelo Alvarez is finished with the division. That’s special.
Jermell (34-1, 18 KOs) destroyed Rosario, who was coming off his spectacular knockout of Julian Williams. Charlo put Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs) down in the first and sixth rounds and then ended the fight with a jab to the gut in the eighth that gave the younger of the twins all four junior middleweight belts. Of course, that means he’s the top man at 154.
The Charlos have been highly respected for some time. However, on Saturday, they took a significant step in their careers. They demonstrated that they’re not only the best in their respective divisions, they’re among the best of any weight.
***
BAD
Jermall Charlo (right) gave an excellent performance but never hurt Derevyanchenko. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
One would be hard-pressed to find fault in the Charlos’ performances. Let’s just say they were imperfect, as almost every performance is.
Jermall’s showing against Derevyanchenko was methodical and thorough, which any trainer would find perfectly acceptable, especially against an opponent as skillful and durable as Derevyanchenko. The man has gone 36 competitive rounds with Jacobs, Triple-G and now Charlo, for God’s sake.
And Charlo was active. He threw 627 punches, according to ShoStats. That’s 52 punches per round, which is solid for a middleweight.
That said, I wouldn’t use the word “spectacular” to describe his performance. I was waiting for something to take it to the next level – a huge shot, a knockdown, something that would’ve punctuated his fine night. It never happened.
Again, Charlo deserved the “A” he gave himself after the fight. He was just a big punch or two away from an “A+”.
Jermell scored three knockdowns and stopped a hot rival in dramatic fashion. That’s also an “A” in my book. I believe he has room for improvement, though.
The undisputed 154-pound champ has been outboxed in the past. For example, he was well behind on the cards against John Jackson when he stopped him in the eighth round. And, more recently, he lost a decision to Tony Harrison.
Charlo’s problem – if that’s what it is – might be more about activity than ability. He tends to be passive at times. He might argue that he’s setting up big shots – and he probably is – but he could be losing rounds in the process.
He threw only 242 punches against Rosario, less than 35 per round. Rosario threw around 50 per round, which is one reason he was still in the fight after seven rounds even though he’d been knocked down twice.
Judge Steve Weisfeld had it 66-65 for Charlo, or four rounds to three for Rosario. The other two scored it 67-64 for Charlo, four rounds to three for him.
The point is that Charlo might want to be a busier fighter going forward because he’s not going to knock out or even knock down everyone.
***
WORSE
Luis Nery (right) wasn’t the terrifying little banger against Aaron Alameda that he had been in recent fights. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The biggest surprise on the pay-per-view card might’ve been the performance of Luis Nery.
The Mexican, who has been working with trainer Eddy Reynoso, entered his fight with relative unknown Aaron Alameda with the reputation and track record of a monstrous puncher. On paper, this matchup seemed to be a brutal knockout waiting to happen.
But it didn’t.
Alameda (25-1, 13 KOs) deserves some credit for that. Nery’s countryman obviously has a solid skillset and he’s durable, which served him on Saturday. He would be a credible opponent for any 122-pounder.
Another problem for Nery might’ve been weight. He had stopped other 122-pounders in recent years but he didn’t seem to have unusual power against Alameda. Maybe he will have lost some of his pop at junior featherweight.
To his credit, Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) relied on his boxing skills to win the fight and a major title in a second division by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. I thought the first score was far too wide but Nery deserved the nod.
At the same time, the perception of Nery will have changed significantly from one fight to the next. He was seen by some as the type of fighter who could climb onto pound-for-pound lists one day. He didn’t look the part on Saturday.
To be fair, it was only one fight. And he won, which is the objective. Maybe it was an off night. I thought of Jose Ramirez’s so-so performance against Viktor Postol as I watched Nery on Saturday, and I certainly haven’t written off Ramirez.
We’ll probably get a better handle on where Nery stands in his next fight.
Jermell Charlo stopped Jeison Rosario to become undisputed junior middleweight champion on Saturday.
The jab from hell. That’s what it was.
Jermell Charlo had already put Jeison Rosario down twice but the third knockdown was the most dramatic, consequential and bizarre in a pay-per-view doubleheader Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Early in the eighth round, Charlo landed a double jab to the body, the second of which put Rosario on his back and incapacitated him to an extent that he couldn’t continue.
Just like that, as a result of a single jab, Charlo became the undisputed junior middleweight champion on the same night his twin brother, Jermall, defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a one-sided unanimous decision.
“Dreams do come true,” Jermell Charlo said. “This is part of my dream, part of my destiny.”
The Charlo-Rosario matchup was highly anticipated in good part because of the stakes: They each held two of the four major titles, meaning the winner could call himself the king of the 154-pounders.
And the fight started with the kind of drama everyone expected from two big punchers. About a minute into the opening round, Charlo skipped a left hook off the top of Rosario’s head followed by a wild combination that put Rosario on the canvas.
Jermell Charlo’s left hook was a lethal weapon on Saturday night. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The fight was competitive for the next four-plus rounds, as Rosario, fully recovered, stalked Charlo and outworked him, although neither fighter threw an abundance of punches.
Then, with only seconds remaining in Round 6, Charlo landed another left hook that wobbled Rosario, who dropped to one knee. He staggered to his corner at the bell but recovered sufficiently to make the following round competitive.
Then came the hellish jab. The fighters were in the middle of the ring when Charlo landed what under normal circumstances would’ve been a routine double jab. However, this time, the punch put Rosario flat on his back and seemed to have knocked the wind out of him.
As referee Harvey Dock began his count, Rosario appeared to be convulsing or experiencing a seizure. However, by the count of eight, he rolled over in an attempt to get up but fell back down.
Dock waived off the fight 21 seconds into the round. Rosario, who walked out of the ring, was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons.
“I think it was due a little bit to previous punches I had thrown,” Charlo said. “… The body shot landed at an accurate point. It seemed he was having a seizure toward the end of the count. I wish him well. Any man who steps into the ring I give my respect.
“We try to feed our families and this is how we do it. I hope he recovers and bounces back. Just leave me alone. At 154, I’m the man.”
The strange ending resulted in conflicting feelings for Charlo. He was concerned about Rosario but ecstatic about his accomplishment. How many fighters hold all four titles in any weight class these days?
Charlo proved not only that he’s the best 154-pounder but one of the best at any weight.
“I definitely proved that I’m more than a puncher,” he said. “I also proved I AM a puncher. … I’d [give myself an] ‘A’ because of the fact I did everything my trainer told me to do in training camp.
“… I’m growing. I’m realizing that knockouts just come. I have explosive power in each hand. And I utilized my jab more than any other punch. That’s what got me all these straps.”
What’s next?
Charlo responded to that question in a typical manner: He’ll discuss it with his team. In other words, he didn’t want to think about the future, at least not yet. He was still reveling in the moment long after the fight ended.
Jermell Charlo stopped Jeison Rosario to become undisputed junior middleweight champion on Saturday.
The jab from hell. That’s what it was.
Jermell Charlo had already put Jeison Rosario down twice but the third knockdown was the most dramatic, consequential and bizarre in a pay-per-view doubleheader Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Early in the eighth round, Charlo landed a double jab to the body, the second of which put Rosario on his back and incapacitated him to an extent that he couldn’t continue.
Just like that, as a result of a single jab, Charlo became the undisputed junior middleweight champion on the same night his twin brother, Jermall, defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a one-sided unanimous decision.
“Dreams do come true,” Jermell Charlo said. “This is part of my dream, part of my destiny.”
The Charlo-Rosario matchup was highly anticipated in good part because of the stakes: They each held two of the four major titles, meaning the winner could call himself the king of the 154-pounders.
And the fight started with the kind of drama everyone expected from two big punchers. About a minute into the opening round, Charlo skipped a left hook off the top of Rosario’s head followed by a wild combination that put Rosario on the canvas.
Jermell Charlo’s left hook was a lethal weapon on Saturday night. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
The fight was competitive for the next four-plus rounds, as Rosario, fully recovered, stalked Charlo and outworked him, although neither fighter threw an abundance of punches.
Then, with only seconds remaining in Round 6, Charlo landed another left hook that wobbled Rosario, who dropped to one knee. He staggered to his corner at the bell but recovered sufficiently to make the following round competitive.
Then came the hellish jab. The fighters were in the middle of the ring when Charlo landed what under normal circumstances would’ve been a routine double jab. However, this time, the punch put Rosario flat on his back and seemed to have knocked the wind out of him.
As referee Harvey Dock began his count, Rosario appeared to be convulsing or experiencing a seizure. However, by the count of eight, he rolled over in an attempt to get up but fell back down.
Dock waived off the fight 21 seconds into the round. Rosario, who walked out of the ring, was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons.
“I think it was due a little bit to previous punches I had thrown,” Charlo said. “… The body shot landed at an accurate point. It seemed he was having a seizure toward the end of the count. I wish him well. Any man who steps into the ring I give my respect.
“We try to feed our families and this is how we do it. I hope he recovers and bounces back. Just leave me alone. At 154, I’m the man.”
The strange ending resulted in conflicting feelings for Charlo. He was concerned about Rosario but ecstatic about his accomplishment. How many fighters hold all four titles in any weight class these days?
Charlo proved not only that he’s the best 154-pounder but one of the best at any weight.
“I definitely proved that I’m more than a puncher,” he said. “I also proved I AM a puncher. … I’d [give myself an] ‘A’ because of the fact I did everything my trainer told me to do in training camp.
“… I’m growing. I’m realizing that knockouts just come. I have explosive power in each hand. And I utilized my jab more than any other punch. That’s what got me all these straps.”
What’s next?
Charlo responded to that question in a typical manner: He’ll discuss it with his team. In other words, he didn’t want to think about the future, at least not yet. He was still reveling in the moment long after the fight ended.
Luis Nery found a new way to win. The slugger from Mexico couldn’t land a knockout punch against a surprisingly effective Aaron Alameda. Instead, the man who had stopped his previous 11 opponents had to outbox his countryman. And he did, winning a …
Luis Nery found a new way to win.
The slugger from Mexico couldn’t land a knockout punch against a surprisingly effective Aaron Alameda. Instead, the man who had stopped his previous 11 opponents had to outbox his countryman.
And he did, winning a unanimous decision to claim a vacant 122-pound title. The scores were 115-113, 116-112 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie had it 115-113 for Nery.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) was fighting for the first time as a full-fledged 122-pounder. Perhaps he didn’t carry his power with him. Just as likely, Alameda (25-1, 13 KOs) was simply better than most people expected.
Alameda used his jab effectively the entire fight, which seemed to throw Nery off to some extent. Alameda didn’t land many power shuts but he landed enough to leave the scoring in doubt when the final bell sounded.
In the end, Nery, who also boxed well, won the fight by throwing and landing more power shots — even if they didn’t hurt Alameda.
Thus, Nery, working for the first time with trainer Eddy Reynoso, won a title in a second division at 25 years old.
For his part, Alameda demonstrated that he has the talent to compete with an elite opponent. So it was a productive night for both fighters.
Luis Nery found a new way to win. The slugger from Mexico couldn’t land a knockout punch against a surprisingly effective Aaron Alameda. Instead, the man who had stopped his previous 11 opponents had to outbox his countryman. And he did, winning a …
Luis Nery found a new way to win.
The slugger from Mexico couldn’t land a knockout punch against a surprisingly effective Aaron Alameda. Instead, the man who had stopped his previous 11 opponents had to outbox his countryman.
And he did, winning a unanimous decision to claim a vacant 122-pound title. The scores were 115-113, 116-112 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie had it 115-113 for Nery.
Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) was fighting for the first time as a full-fledged 122-pounder. Perhaps he didn’t carry his power with him. Just as likely, Alameda (25-1, 13 KOs) was simply better than most people expected.
Alameda used his jab effectively the entire fight, which seemed to throw Nery off to some extent. Alameda didn’t land many power shuts but he landed enough to leave the scoring in doubt when the final bell sounded.
In the end, Nery, who also boxed well, won the fight by throwing and landing more power shots — even if they didn’t hurt Alameda.
Thus, Nery, working for the first time with trainer Eddy Reynoso, won a title in a second division at 25 years old.
For his part, Alameda demonstrated that he has the talent to compete with an elite opponent. So it was a productive night for both fighters.
